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If your music taste includes ANY of the following: Sly and the Family Stone, Funkadelic, the Specials, Ozomatli, etc, run - don't walk - to your local record store and pick up this new "Best of" Fishbone. What Fishbone has in common with those bands is an energy and vitality that is missing from too much "mainstream" music, and an ability to combine a good-time party sound with some serious messages. And Angelo Moore, who plays sax and sings (roughly 75% of their songs; everyone in the band sings at one point or another), is the most spectacular currently-active frontman in rock-and-roll, somehow managing to be a combination of Johnny Rotten, Mick Jagger, and Marvin Gaye. Really, I mean it. He sings with the voice of an angel while leaping into the mosh pit!

Fishbone is NOT for everyone, but don't believe it if you've heard that they are outside the mainstream. They play a variety of styles -- based in funk, with a heavy dose of ska, factoring in some heavy guitars and a LOT of horns -- usually merging those styles together into a unique stew (rather than keeping the styles separate on each song). A fair number of these tunes really SHOULD have been blockbuster #1 hits (Lemon Meringue, Unyielding Conditioning, Everyday Sunshine, more) ... you've really missed out an a lot of spectacular music if you've yet to delve into Fishbone!

If you already (really) know Fishbone, you don't need this review to tell you how great they are. But if you're curious, and like to be a little bit adventurous with your music, you absolutely will not regret spicing up your life with some of this Fishbone magic.

Try it ... you WILL catch on!


This ska-funk has got me Bonin'.   April 15, 2003
 5 out of 5 found this review helpful

I'd bet alot of people were waiting for this one. As good as Fishbone are, a few of their albums were just so-so. This collects roughly their 16 best tracks, remastered, and all on one CD. Everything great from "Party at ground zero", to the excellent "Sunless Saturday". The only thing missing for me is "Slow bus movin'[Howard's beach party]", which can be found on "Truth and Soul", and the "Tapeheads" soundtrack. So if you're looking for a disc to stick between your "Chili Pepper's" and "Bosstones" cd's, I would highly suggest "The Essential Fishbone".


One of the Baddest Bands slept on   April 14, 2003
 3 out of 3 found this review helpful

talk about a Underrated Band? Fishbone brings so many styles that they leave you dizzy with the man things they can step into&Pull off.but on Record the energy over the years has met with Mixed Results because Live you can't even begin to explain the overall Party they bring."Everyday Sunshine" with it's Sly&The Family Stone take Rocks.if you wondered where the Red Hot Chilli Peppers,No Doubt,&others got there Game from Peep this Out.


Also Consider Crazy 8's "Big Live Nut Pack!"   November 21, 2003
 3 out of 24 found this review helpful

I'm a big fan of Fishbone, and I really like this album. However, I just realized that another favorite band, The CRAZY 8'S (now defunct) would be popular with Fishboners. If you like OINGO BOINGO and FISHBONE, you'll LOVE The Crazy 8's! (...especially "Big Live Nut Pack!")


This is the one to own...   December 25, 2004
 3 out of 5 found this review helpful

This is a solid 16 song collection from this reggae tinged, punk inspired, ska influenced, funky alternative rock & roll party band. Needless to say, I love these guys. Most of their albums are inconsistent, but this is the one to own.